Campbell on New Free Agents: 'All These Guys Have Something To Prove'

New Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is excited about the free agents added to the roster.

The Detroit Lions targeted a certain type of player in free agency. 

Despite losing their best two players from last season -- quarterback Matthew Stafford and wideout Kenny Golladay -- Detroit's front office and head coach Dan Campbell believe the Lions have something to prove, along with all of the new players added to the roster. 

In a recent media session with reporters, Campbell shared what excited him about the class of free agents added to the roster. 

"Probably the best thing about all of these guys we've signed is I think they all got something to prove and they got a little bit of (a) chip on their shoulder," Campbell told reporters. "Whether it's 'I'm coming off an injury or they were trying to reduce my salary or I'm a guy that they didn't want anymore, I'm a guy who they think is washed up,' all these guys have something to prove."

He added, "So, do we. Brad's got something to prove. I got something to prove. My staff has something to prove. Everything we've kind of done, Sheila (Ford Hamp) has got something to prove. It's been a little bit unorthodox, I guess you could call it. But, that's a good thing, man. We want hungry people here that want to be here. They all wanted to be here and want to win."

© Junfu Han via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Detroit Lions

Challenges of building a team with players on one-year contracts

Several of the players offered contracts this offseason were only given one-year deals. 

In terms of team building, there could inherently be challenges with building cohesion with players who may not be in town all that long. 

Despite the challenges, Campbell sees it as an opportunity for the players brought in to play a part in instilling the culture Detroit is looking to establish moving forward. 

"I just know this is a rookie player, even if they were only there for a year -- man, they did things the right way and they helped you. Those are lessons you never lose, or you never forget. And, you also have those relationships for the rest of your time, probably the rest of your life," Campbell said. 

"I just think it just helps set the tone for where you're trying to go and the way things are supposed to be done," Campbell explained. "And not only that, they appreciate the way that they've been treated, even if they do move on because they know they were never lied to. They were told exactly what they were thought of, what we thought of them and where they go. That's all you can ask for. You may not always like to hear the truth one way or another, but you can always respect the truth."

The thinking behind signing players that Campbell and Co. were familiar with was decreasing the amount of questions about what a player could or could not accomplish on the football field. 

Players were targeted that had the proverbial "chip on their shoulder," based on their experiences around the league. 

"You get this kind of work mentality, this chip on your shoulder. This is how you win. This is how you build things," Campbell said. "And they've installed that in some of these young players that are already here on this roster, and then the guys that you're drafting."

More from SI All Lions:

Roundtable: How Much Should It Bother Fans That Lions Couldn't Trade No. 3 Pick?

What Detroit Lions Are Getting in Linebacker Alex Anzalone

Mock Draft Roundup: Lions Targeting Wide Receiver

Chase Daniel Signs with Los Angeles Chargers

Dan Campbell Has No Room for 'Turds' on Lions Roster